WikiCommons With the conclusion of the most recent war between Israel and Hamas, the status quo is reemerging yet again to denote the calm on the contentious border. As many had predicted, the conflict did not, and as of yet has not, moved the peace process forward. Rather, both sides are settling in after the Egypt-brokered ceasefire and seem to be awaiting the next outburst of hostilities as they have countless times before. There is only one...
Image Taken By Israel Defense Force Benjamin Netanyahu’s rather literal interpretation the concept of a “red line” at the United Nations last month puzzled many, but it should draw as much worry as it draws laughter. It is no secret that Israel and the United States would prefer an Iran without nuclear weapons. Yet, the Obama administration’s disapproval of a unilateral Israeli strike and its lack of interest in initiating its own strike leave...
from the Israeli Defense Forces Once again, Hamas and Israel are on the brink. As Israel mobilizes its military for a possible ground invasion, Hamas refuses to back down. Air strikes light up the Gazan sky while rockets explode in Tel Aviv and Jerusalem. Surely, intermittent exchanges of rocket fire and violence have been a mainstay on the Gaza-Israel border for years now, but with the recent escalation of violence, war now appears to be immin...
WikiCommons On January 16, my fellow cohort at Columbia Political Review, Josh Fattal, wrote an intriguing response to my piece written just a few days prior, “A Modest Proposal.” In my article, I argue that Israel needs to consider engaging Hamas diplomatically in some capacity as an effort to prevent more Israeli-Hamas violence, and to help move the peace process forward. I contend Israel can no longer ignore Hamas on its flank, and that Isra...
From Wikimedia Commons “As an Israeli-American who cares deeply about the survival of Israel and the future of the Jewish people, I will be voting for President Obama in November,” wrote Haim Saban, founder of the Saban Center for Middle East Policy at the Brookings Institution, in the New York Times on September 4. If we too care about those things, Saban wants us to believe, then we too must vote for the president. Trying to make an argument...
An Israeli-Palestinian standoff Students for Justice in Palestine have set up a protest this week on College Walk as part of their annual Israel Apartheid Week. Conversely, Omar Abboud lamented in a CPR column that the word “apartheid” has been universally rejected as a basis for criticizing Israel. While legitimately highlighting how criticism of Israel can be rejected by some circles, Mr. Abboud fails to explore the actual meaning of aparthei...
..., language reveals disagreement and can itself be an impediment to peaceful negotiation. There can be little mutual understanding, for instance, when both sides in a conflict cannot even agree on the basic terms they use. The Israeli-Palestinian conflict continuously puzzles diplomats and journalists for this very reason. Ethan Bronner, a New York Times reporter who covered the conflict, wrote in early 2009, “[T]he two sides speak in two distinct...
...il “chose silence,” said Neuer. Why? Because, Neuer asserted, despite their never-ending rhetoric about defending Palestinian rights, the members of the Council do not really care about human rights: they care about vilifying Israel. Watching this speech via YouTube (it has been viewed at least 200,000 times), one can see the rage building within Mexican Council President Luis Alfonso de Alba. For the first time, de Alba, his arms tightly crossed...
WikiCommons In his piece published online on January 13, my fellow Middle East columnist Eliot Sackler argued that in light of Hamas’s supposed growing legitimacy and desire for progress, Israel should embrace a “pragmatic policy” and recognize Hamas as a political actor, adopting a policy of “engagement” as opposed to one of ”isolation.” The piece is admirable for its extensive research and tenacious attempt to propose something new. So...
This week, for the first time, Israel introduced Palestinian-only bus lines for its commuters from the West Bank that use public transportation. This measure, one of classic ethnic segregation, was drafted after settlers claimed that Palestinians posed a security threat on public bus routes. The bus lines are likely to be a big topic of showcase starting next Monday, when “Israeli Apartheid Week” begins in New York City. The use of the word “ap...
Follow us at
Like us on
Recent Comments